We couldn’t let Arron leave us without capturing his reflections on leading NNECL from before it was even a formal charity. Thank you, Arron for your service, support and kind words.
I am glad to say the future for NNECL is good, and with the knowledge we have funding I am happy to stand down as Chair of the Board of Trustees and let a new generation take over. We have just recruited new trustees with amazing skills, many of whom are care experienced themselves, Denise has secured additional core funding from the amazing Esmée Fairbairn Foundation who have been supporting our work for many years now and there are exciting plans to diversify further.
There is still a lot to do, but we have a plan. The work with local authorities - and for all those that have been working in this area as post-16 providers know how many times that blockages in support in FE and HE stem from local authorities are constantly raised in regional meetings - is proceeding well. Admissions have been an area that has been lagging behind, along with the question of contextual offers, which are only good if there is a recognition that support for students is targeted and individual to ensure that those with contextual offers succeed.
For me, personally I also think that we need more work on intersectionality with care experience and estrangement - race, disability, gender, LGBTQI+, class, asylum, etc - not only why a lot of these groups have greater or different representation in the care system, but also the support for care experienced people should not be a one size fits all model as it may have been in the past.
Finally, as I stand down from leading NNECL, I would like to thank all those that were so instrumental in NNECL's success. There are too many to mention, but there are a few I do need to mention. My co-chair (and friend) for much of the early history of NNECL, Felicity Dunworth, I know shew is still watching NNECL from afar. Then all those early adopters and hard workers in the early days when we really needed help - Megan Lunn (Sunderland) and her successor Wendy Price, Phil Bakstad (LJMU), the now Dr Carrie Wilson (congratulations Carrie), Melissa Page (De Montfort) and Phil Dent. And, of course locally in Manchester, Emma Lewis-Kalubowila, she is one of the most passionate people I know.
Good luck, I will be watching from afar .... well maybe not too far.
Read Arron's reflections in full